Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and Uplight, a clean energy technology company that helps consumers and energy providers conserve, manage, and monetize energy capacity, are excited to announce the expansion of their Flex Batteries program to include Tesla home battery systems. This expansion offers customers more product choices and cash incentives to enroll their home battery system in the program, starting Nov. 14.
PSE’s Flex Batteries program, launched in August, is among the first-of-its-kind in the Pacific Northwest. Eligible battery system owners can earn rewards for partnering with PSE by allowing their battery to be called upon during periods when demand for energy is forecasted to peak, known as “Flex Events.” By enrolling in PSE Flex Batteries, customers can earn a one-time $1,000 enrollment incentive and a yearly reward of up to $500 for continued participation.
“We are constantly looking for innovative ways to give our customers more choice and control over how they use energy,” said PSE’s Chief Customer Officer Aaron August. “Through seamless integration with smart home technologies such as smart thermostats, EV chargers and now home battery systems, customers can save money while playing an increasingly important role in easing strain on the energy grid during heat waves and cold snaps.”
Since 2022, PSE and Uplight have collaborated on PSE’s energy savings programs, known as PSE Flex. These programs help manage energy demand at times of peak use, such as extreme heat or cold. By participating in PSE Flex demand response events, customers can earn rewards via digital gift cards and rebates.
PSE and Uplight have seen about 70,000 new customers enroll in PSE Flex programs since launching last year. And overall, more than 600,000 customers participated at peak in one of the many programs within the PSE Flex portfolio last year.
“We’re excited for this opportunity to engage Tesla battery owners and put their assets to work to support PSE’s grid resilience and decarbonization goals,” says Gisela Glandt, VP of Virtual Power Plants at Uplight. “With intuitive incentives and a simple, user-friendly customer portal, we anticipate strong enrollment and participation in this program.”
PSE plans to roll out additional enhanced incentives of up to $10,000 to help with the upfront equipment and installation costs to eligible customers this fall. Customers can read more about Flex Batteries here.
